Event Archive - Skaspot Mondays present "The Evolution of Ska Music": Skaspot Live All Star Band

The Monday night Ska & Reggae production rehearsals continue Monday July 28th with the focus on Jamican music in the UK. The Skaspot All Star Band will be playing & learning early Ska and Reggae songs by: The Skatalites / The Melodians / The Jamaicans / The Pioneers / Alton Ellis / The Paragons / B Marley & the Wailers / Danny Livingstone / Symarip / The Upsetters and more. The All Star Band core members: Patrick "Dr." Watson - Musical Director, Keyboards, Vocals "Iwah" M. Paterson - Lead Guitar, Vocals Greg Hathaway - Rythum Guitar, Vocals and Andy Cakes on Vocals and Trombone. Want to see and hear the "early days" of Vancouver's greatest "new" Reggae & Traditional Ska Band? Then it is simple, be at the Biltmore Cabaret for each Skaspot Monday - expect surprise guests and auditions. Reggae, it seems, has grown into a truly international scene since the days of Bob Marley and within todays reggae world many musicians from outside the Caribbean community have found a voice and even a career in that most Jamaican of musical forms. Indeed look on todays Jamaican radio charts and you'll find artists like Italian born Alborosie or Collie Budz, a Caucasian singer born and raised in the Caribbean, have a strong voice within the Jamaican scene. * So it is that between them, the core members of this "All-Star" group, Patrick "Dr." Watson, Iwah M.Paterson, Andy Cakes and Greg Hathaway have amassed quite a resume in the reggae world despite their Canadian roots. * Patrick, the group's Musical Director and keyboardist, has shared the stage with many of reggae's most famous names including Sean Paul, Toots & the Maytals and Burning Spear as well as having played bass for "the King of Rocksteady" Alton Ellis and '80s star Half Pint on their tours through Canada. * The list of Jamaican greats guitarist Iwah has played with includes The Mighty Diamonds, George Nooks and original Jamaican Ska pioneer Eric "Monty" Morris as well as having opened for the likes of Morgan Heritage and Sugar Minott. * While rythum guitarist Greg has been a bastion of all things reggae and ska since the days of his first group Roots Roundup - one of the first wave of bands to play reggae locally in the 80s - his current project Dubfreque (pronounced Dubfreak) have opened the Commodore for the likes of Beenie Man, Culture (R.I.P. Joseph Hill), and dancehall pioneer Yellowman to name but a few. The recent addition of Andy Cakes to this band has raised bar yet again in the "Star Quality" level of musicianship in the Skaspot LIve All Star Band. * In their current incarnation of the group, they will also be joined by Miguel Valladares, bassist of punk/ska band The Easy Brothers and Mika Huntanten, drummer for local reggae artist Fredlocks Asher. * Coming soon - the two tone version of the all star band featuring the Neal Brothers (Villains, Skaville, Skaboom) Each Monday - $4 at the door